Purchase a $100 Best Western Gift Card, Get a $10 Gift Card & More

For a limited time, purchase a $100 Best Western gift card and you will receive a $10 gift card bonus from a choice of merchants, including AMC, Starbucks and Macys. Plus, if you purchase the gift card through FatWallet you may earn 3% cash back (I don't see where gift card purchases are excluded in the t&c's-but you should take a peak yourself). And, use a high yielding rewards credit card to make the purchase, and earn between a 1-5% rebate.

Leading Hotels of the World $19.28 Promotion - Tomorrow

(Repost)

Celebrating their 80th anniversary, Leading Hotels of the World will be offering $19.28 rooms at select properties worldwide. Choose from a grand selection of luxurious properties throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, The Caribbean, and right here in North America. A little work is required however, in order to secure a $19 hotel room that would otherwise sell for over $400-$500.

Here's what you do: Set your alarm clock for...early; 5am Pacific time, October 1, 2008, room inventory will open up at the discounted price for a total of 80 minutes only. Be ready to input the city, country and date(s) of stay. Promotional stays are valid November 1-December 15 only, and you are allowed a maximum of two nights at participating properties. Complete information and pre-registration here.

As with other short-spanned hotel promotions lately, space is limited - and participating hotels are not looking to fill every room at the discounted rates. So, mark your calendars now, wake up early and give it your best shot. Last month, Affinia Hotels was offering a similar limited-time only promotion, and I was able to secure a wonderful hotel in midtown for Manhattan for $88 bucks - normally priced at $325.

Even As Your Cash Flows, Luxury Hotel's Shower Might Not

By Mike Grasso

Travelers accustomed to being pampered at four and five star properties are familiar with the luxurious amenities and impeccable customer service often absent from two or three star hotels. But too many high-tech and high-cost ammenities are bound to leave some guests a little unhappy.

This past Sunday in the SF Chronicle, Executive editor John Flinn wrote about how the higher end hotels often confuse needless complexity with sophistication. In his article, "Even as your cash flows, luxury hotel's shower might not," He uses several in-room examples such as lighting and the shower head to explain how overengineered room technology can lead to an irritating and tiresome experience for the guest. He concludes the article by describing the back-to-the-basics, uncomplicated amenities budget hotels offer, such as free Internet and free local calls, as a sort of reality check for the big name hotels.

I personally believe that while luxury hotels are constantly finding ways to improve the guest experience, they risk alienating a segment of the population with the means to choose between budget and luxury hotels. The race to offer the latest and greatest in technological advancements, and their associated cost to the hotel, means elaborate restaurants - but no free breakfast, WiFi throughout the property, for a steep fee, and, my personal favorite, sensored "honor bars" where as soon as you remove a beverage from the small in-room refrigerator, you are automatically charged - regardless if you put the drink back.

So while the four and five star hotels overall offer a wonderful experience to guests, sometimes the quest to deliver that perfect experience can go a little overboard. Adding steep price tags to advanced and sometimes complicated technology are bound to turn away some guests who seek a property offering good amenities at fair prices. Even luxury travelers don't want to be ripped off.

Leading Hotels of the World $19.28 Promotion

(Thanks to Kaz @ Flyertalk)

Celebrating their 80th anniversary, Leading Hotels of the World will be offering $19.28 rooms at select properties worldwide. Choose from a grand selection of luxurious properties throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, The Caribbean, and right here in North America. A little work is required however, in order to secure a $19 hotel room that would otherwise sell for over $400-$500.

Here's what you do: Set your alarm clock for...early; 5am Pacific time, October 1, 2008, room inventory will open up at the discounted price for a total of 80 minutes only. Be ready to input the city, country and date(s) of stay. Promotional stays are valid November 1-December 15 only, and you are allowed a maximum of two nights at participating properties. Complete information and pre-registration here.

As with other short-spanned hotel promotions lately, space is limited - and participating hotels are not looking to fill every room at the discounted rates. So, mark your calendars now, wake up early and give it your best shot. Last month, Affinia Hotels was offering a similar limited-time only promotion, and I was able to secure a wonderful hotel in midtown for Manhattan for $88 bucks - normally priced at $325.

Hotel Discount Codes from Orbitz

Looking for a discount on your next 2+ night hotel stay? Here are some great coupons you can use on your next Orbitz hotel purchase. Valid for stays through December 31, 2008, unless otherwise noted. Here are the discount codes:

2night stay - $35 off: 35ORBDOT
3night stay - $50 off: 50AFFORB
4night stay - $75 off: 4ODWR75 (travel through 2/1/09)
5night stay - $100 off: EQUALITY100 (travel through 11/15/08)

(partial thanks to iceui2 at fatwallet for finding some of these codes)